June 2009
June 7, 2009
DRAWING OUR TEACHING FROM GOD'S TRUTH
Readings: Isaiah 6:1-8 and John 14:8-21
As Lutherans and Christians we always talk about drawing all of our teachings from the Scriptures. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that the Scriptures are the written way God tells of Him. Today we celebrate a teaching of the Church found in Scripture, but named at a later time.
The teaching about the Holy Trinity is found throughout Holy Scripture. If we combine John 1:1-3 and Genesis 1:1-2, we have the Trinity. An inference of the Trinity is also found in Genesis 1:27, when God says, "Let us make mankind in OUR image." Isaiah 6:3 has the angels singing the very words we repeat as the Sanctus (Holy) in our Communion liturgy.
The Gospel of John gives us many mentions of the Holy Trinity. John 14 and John 16 tell of the Father and Jesus being one and the Holy Spirit, a person of God, being sent when Jesus goes back to heaven at His ascension. John 3 is the story of Jesus and Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was a rabbi, a well-known Bible teacher of his day. He was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He came to Jesus at night because He needed to avoid being seen by the Religion Police. Jesus tells him about how one is made a child of God. The prosecutor in our Lenten drama called it nonsense. God revealed to us the truth about becoming His child through Jesus. It begins at baptism. The Holy Spirit uses water and forgives sin, gives eternal life, and saves the person baptized. The Father sent Jesus on a mission to save us by His suffering, death, and resurrection. Jesus' blood and His resurrection stand behind Holy Baptism and make the sacrament work. We receive Jesus' body and blood in Holy Communion to strengthen our faith by the forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation they bring us. The Holy Spirit also pours out His gifts upon that person at baptism. Peter preaches the same message in his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2.
John 3 shows us the Trinity working together to bring us to faith. This is always the way the Trinity works. None is greater or less than another. All are equal and all receive the glory.
Today we celebrate a vital Christian teaching drawn from Holy Scripture. May this lesson teach us all to work together as does the Trinity.
Prayer: O Trinity, help us always to follow Your example of unity and caring. In Jesus' name. Amen.